Story
"and so it goes on..."
Yes, believe it. All you doubters who thought I would have quit by now (may I include myself as one of you) bow your heads in shame, I am still training hard, and as I sit here will be setting off on an insane dash around the streets of old London town in just 44 days (gulp).
Anyhow, the Mark of 2003 is a different guy to the one who you may all remember from the past. No ciggies since 3am January 1st 2003! As ferquently found in the local gym as in the local pub! A man who has to eat lots of 'carbohydrates' to make sure he has enough energy for that evenings run! Result! Anyway - for those of you who think Mark 2003 sounds a bit dull... you should know that he can still put away a few pints when the need arises... He just has less space to store them. (how I miss my beer gut - we had been through so much together).
Well I guess it was early January that I realised the magnitude of the decision I had made to run this race. Picture a wet January along the docklands area of Edinburgh (Newhaven!!!!). The wind blowing into my face no matter which direction I ran (how is this possible?). 3 miles had elapsed and my back was killing me so I decided I would have to to walk back to the gym. 3 miles!!! That is 23 less than a Marathon (still crash hot at maths as you can see). At this stage I was pretty cose to compiling a sorry email explaining how I would no longer be running this years marathon, and expecting everyone who read this email to not be all that surprised...
However, I soldiered on (armed with new lower back stretching programme). And set myself the target of a ten mile run, or bust. And I managed it... So I intend to move up to a 16 miler in about 2 weeks, and that should be me really. Just some gentle runs until the 13th.
So as I have explained in my email I am some way short of the £1000 sponsorship target I set. Basically because I haven't really asked anyone to sponsor me since last year due to my aforementioned doubts about my ability. So I am hoping if you are reading this you will take the time to add to my sponsorship. Anything will help. And I will be eternally grateful for your support. The good people at CARE International will definately be glad of your support, and the money we all raise will for sure go a long way to making a big difference to somebody.
You know it makes sense. And I hope I will see each and every one of you very soon.
Take care,
Mark.
Yes, believe it. All you doubters who thought I would have quit by now (may I include myself as one of you) bow your heads in shame, I am still training hard, and as I sit here will be setting off on an insane dash around the streets of old London town in just 44 days (gulp).
Anyhow, the Mark of 2003 is a different guy to the one who you may all remember from the past. No ciggies since 3am January 1st 2003! As ferquently found in the local gym as in the local pub! A man who has to eat lots of 'carbohydrates' to make sure he has enough energy for that evenings run! Result! Anyway - for those of you who think Mark 2003 sounds a bit dull... you should know that he can still put away a few pints when the need arises... He just has less space to store them. (how I miss my beer gut - we had been through so much together).
Well I guess it was early January that I realised the magnitude of the decision I had made to run this race. Picture a wet January along the docklands area of Edinburgh (Newhaven!!!!). The wind blowing into my face no matter which direction I ran (how is this possible?). 3 miles had elapsed and my back was killing me so I decided I would have to to walk back to the gym. 3 miles!!! That is 23 less than a Marathon (still crash hot at maths as you can see). At this stage I was pretty cose to compiling a sorry email explaining how I would no longer be running this years marathon, and expecting everyone who read this email to not be all that surprised...
However, I soldiered on (armed with new lower back stretching programme). And set myself the target of a ten mile run, or bust. And I managed it... So I intend to move up to a 16 miler in about 2 weeks, and that should be me really. Just some gentle runs until the 13th.
So as I have explained in my email I am some way short of the £1000 sponsorship target I set. Basically because I haven't really asked anyone to sponsor me since last year due to my aforementioned doubts about my ability. So I am hoping if you are reading this you will take the time to add to my sponsorship. Anything will help. And I will be eternally grateful for your support. The good people at CARE International will definately be glad of your support, and the money we all raise will for sure go a long way to making a big difference to somebody.
You know it makes sense. And I hope I will see each and every one of you very soon.
Take care,
Mark.